Hanger for advertising displays

ABSTRACT

An advertising display hanger having a deformable and flexible hooked end which will collapse inwardly as it is forced into a tubular mounting pole in frictional engagement therewith, the removable mounting pole being used to install the hanger on a ceiling frame member by means of a laterally extending flange on the hanger. Alternatively, the hooked end may be secured over a support member such as a fluorescent light bulb; in either case an aperture in the hanger receives a string from which a display may be suspended.

O United States Patent 1 1 3,561,718

[72] Inventor Peter B. Iverson 1,197,139 9/1916 Mastin 294/19 Excelsior, Minn. 2,906,488 9/1959 Wolar 248/339 [21] Appl. No. 795,612 2,951,672 9/1960 Bott 248/317 22 Filed Jan. 31. 1969 3,202,329 8/1965 Schmidt 211/119.12X 1 1 [45] Patented Feb. 9, 1971 3,327,376 6/1967 Freman et a1 294/85X [73] Asslgnee q {Emigration Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Mlnneapohs, Minn. E J F F a corporation of Minnesota Ass'smm xafniner ran 058 Attorney-Williamson, Palmatier & Bams [54] HANGER FOR ADVERTISING DISPLAYS 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 248/340,

248/215, 248/301; 294/19, 2 4/ ABSTRACT: An advertising display hanger having a deforma- [5 i] ll tl. Cl A47 7/00 ble and flexible hooked end which will collapse inwardly as it [50] Fleld of Search 248/493, is forced i a b l mounting p in frictional engage 489, 495, 339, 340, 317, 301, 215;211/1 19.12; ment therewith, the removable mounting pole being used to 294/19* 85; 3/222 225 instaIl the ban er on a ceilin frame member b means of a 1 11 H g h h A1 y 1 h atera y exten mg ange on t e anger. ternative y, t e [56] References Cited hooked end may be secured over a support member such as a UNlTED STATES PATENTS fluorescent light bulb; in either case an aperture in the hanger 118,791 9/1871 Calvert 294/85 receives a string from which a display may be suspended.

PATENTEU FEB 9197i INVENTOR.

HANGER FOR ADVERTISING DISPLAYS BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an overhead hanger for advertising displays which is particularly characterized by a hooked end which may serve either as a means for removably holding the hanger on an installation device or as a means for suspending the hanger from an overhead support such as a fluorescent light bulb tube.

As a particularly advantageous feature of my invention, the hanger is made from material sufficiently flexible that the hooked end may be depressed inwardly to permit it to be forced into one end of a tubular mounting pole of lesser diameter than the hanger device, the outward flexing action of the hooked end serving to hold it in the pole. The mounting pole is then used to lift the hanger adjacent a ceiling and to install a flange on the hanger in place on top of a ceiling tile crossbeam. After the mounting pole is removed, an advertising or merchandising display is suspended from the hanger by means of a string fastened through an aperture therein.

A further beneficial aspect of my invention resides in the possibility of using the aforesaid hooked end to support the hanger from an overhead member such as a fluorescent light bulb tube. When the hanger is hung in this way, a separate, attachment means on the hanger is used to removably hold it on a mounting pole.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary view of a ceiling showing the hanger device of this invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view through the ceiling of FIG. I showing the manner in which the hanger device is secured in place on a ceiling frame member;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the hanger device of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a top, plan view of the hanger device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a mounting pole being used to install the ceiling hanger in place; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an alternative means of suspending the hanger device on an overhead support member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The hanger device of this invention has been particularly designed with a view towards providing for the quick and convenient overhead mounting of advertising and merchandising display cards at a desired location. It is common practice to suspend advertising displays containing prices and descriptive data from an overhead support by means of a string. However, the practice in the past normally entailed the time-consuming and tedious task of using a ladder to reach a ceiling fixture or cross brace to which the display suspension string could be tied. I have alleviated this problem by designing a hanger device which is particularly adapted to be removably secured to an elongated mounting tube employed to attach the hanger to an overhead support member. The suspension string for the advertising display is fastened to the hanger before it is installed overhead.

The particular structural features which I have incorporated in my unique hanger device so that it may be quickly and easily installed in the aforesaid way will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the hanger device of this invention has been designated generally by reference numeral 1. Hanger 1 includes an elongated body portion 2 having suspension means in the form of a flange 4 projecting from one end thereof. Mounting flange 4 preferably extends at right angles to body portion 2 of hanger device I, and will extend substantially horizontally when hanger I is oriented in a vertical position as shown in FIG. 3. The opposite end of body portion 2 terminates at a hooked end portion 6. Laterally projecting rib 8 formed integral with hooked end 6 lends strength and rigidity thereto. As may be noted with respect to FIG. 4, body portion 2 of hanger device I is relatively thin, a thickness of less than one-eighth inch having been found sufficient to give hanger I the requisite strength. At the upper end of hanger body 2 I have provided an aperture I0 through which a suspension string I2 may be fastened A cross tab I4 on one end of string I2 is inserted through aperture I0 and then turned so that it extends across and bears against the upper end of body portion 2 in the manner shown in FIG. I so as to securely hold string 12 in place. Hanger device I further includes an attachment device I6 at one side thereof which, in the illustrative embodiment shown, assumes the configuration of a hook. Attaching means I6 is comprised of a leg I7 and a parallel, elongated extension 18 of body portion 2 which are spaced a slight distance apart in order to define a linear slot 19 therebetwecn. Hanger device I may be attached to a tubular mounting pole by utilizing slot 19 in a manner hereinafter described.

Although hanger device I could be manufactured from various materials, including metals and plastics, I have found that a hanger having the desired configuration and mechanical properties can be inexpcnsivclymolded as an integral piece from plastic material. Polyethylene has proven to be most suitable for this purpose. The plastic material from which hanger device I is molded is sufficiently yieldable and flexible that hooked end 6 may be deformed inwardly and returned to its normal shape when the pressure thereon is released. This feature is important in order to permit hanger device I to be removably held in place on a mounting tube during the instal lation procedure, which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

In FIG. 5 I have illustrated the way in which the tubular mounting pole 20 may be employed to secure hanger device I on a ceiling crossbcam or frame member 22 of the type used to support removable ceiling panels 23. Ceiling panels 23 are held in place in the conventional manner by resting edge portions thereof on laterally extending flange 24 of frame member 22. Prior to installing hanger device I on the ceiling, string 12 is attached thereto by means of cross tab 14, and the desired advertising display piece is secured to the other end of string 12. Hanger 1 is then removably attached to tubular mounting pole 20 by inserting hooked end 6 into one end of pole 20. Mounting pole 20 has a predetermined diameter somewhat less than that of hooked end 6, so that as end 6 is forced into pole 20 its free end will collapse or bend inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 5. Because of the flexible and resilient properties of the plastic from which hanger I is formed, hooked end 6 will tend to flex outwardly against the inside walls of tubular pole 20, thereby holding hanger I in frictional engagement therewith. The person installing hanger I will then grasp the lower end of the pole 20 (not shown) and extend it upwardly in order to bring hanger I into position adjacent frame member 22. Pole 20 will normally be of a preselected length which will permit the installer to lift hanger 1 into position adjacent its support member without having to use a ladder. With hanger I oriented vertically as shown in FIG. 5, mounting flange 4 will be extending in a substantially horizontal plane. Post 20 is raised until mounting flange 4 bears against the underside of one of the ceiling panels 23. Continued upward movement of post 20 will then cause ceiling tile 23a to be displaced upwardly in the manner shown in FIG. 5. Pole 20 is then moved laterally in order to bring flange 4 into engagement with the upper face of longitudinal flange 24 of ceiling beam 22. The installation procedure is then completed by pulling the pole 20 downwardly, whereby hanger device I will be restrained by the contact of flange 4 with flange portion 2 of frame member 22 and the continued downward movement of pole 20 will cause hooked end 6 to pull out of the open end of pole 20. As pole 20 is moved downwardly, ceiling panel 23a will come to rest on top of flange 4, thereby assisting in holding hanger l in place. FIG. 2 clearly illustrates the manner in which flange 4 of hanger l supportably engages the flange 24 of crossbeam 22. flange 4 being sandwiched between the flange 24 and ceiling panel 23a. in FIG. 1 l have shown a hanger device l mounted in place on a ceiling frame member or crossbeam 22 with string 12. holding an advertising display card 26.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6 wherein l have illustrated the use of attachment device 16 in combination with mounting pole 20. There are certain types of building structures which do not lend themselves to the use of mounting flange 4 as a suspension means for hanger device 1 because no crossbeam, such as that illustrated at 22, is available and accessible. For such applications, the installer may find it more convenient to use hooked end 6 as a means for suspending hanger device 1. There are frequently available various types of overhead support members, such as pipes, copper tubes, etc., to which hooked end 6 of hanger device 1 might be secured. in addition, commercial establishments frequently utilize fluorescent light fixtures having accessible light bulbs of tubular shape, one of which is illustrated at 28 in H0. 6. Such fluorescent light bulb tubes provide a convenient support means for hanger l utilizing hooked end 6. When hooked end 6 is utilized as the suspension means, hanger device 1 is raised in place by inserting one end of tubular mounting pole within lirear slot 19 of attachment device 16 in the manner shown in HQ. 6. Slot 19 is sized so as to snugly embrace a tubing wall of predetermined thickness. With hanger l removably attached to the upper end of pole 20 by means of slot 19, pole 20 is then raised to bring hook 6 into position over fluorescent light bulb 28. After hook 6 has been lowered into position into engagement with light bulb 28, pole 20 is pulled downwardly in order to disengage it from slot 19 of attachment device 16. String 12 will have been previously attached to hanger 1 through aperture 10 with a display card secured to its lower end.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that l have devised a unique hanger device which greatly simplifies and expedites the procedure for installing advertising display cards of various types in an overhead, suspension arrangement. Hanger device 1 can be very quickly installed in place on an overhead support member by utilizing either mounting flange 4 or hooked end 6 as a suspension means in the manner described above. The pole-mounting procedure utilizing either hooked end 6 or attachment device 16 to removably attach hanger l to a mounting pole 20 permits the hanger l to i be conveniently installed on a ceiling fixture without having to use a ladder. Hooked end portion 6 of my hanger device is a particularly unique and advantageous feature because of its dual role as a suspension means and removable attachment for a mounting pole.

lclaim: l. A hanger device for suspending advertising displays from an overhead support comprising:

an elongated hanger body having suspension means at one end thereof for holding said hanger device on an overhead support member; a hooked end at the opposite end of said hanger body, said hooked end being deformable and flexible so that it will collapse inwardly to permit it to be forced into one end of i a smaller diameter, tubular mounting pole, the outward. flexing action of said hooked end against the inside of said mounting pole serving to hold said hanger device on said pole while said pole is used to lift said hanger device into place on said overhead support member;

attachment means separate from said hooked end for removably securing said hanger device to a mounting pole when said hooked end is employed to suspend said hanger device from an overhead cross member such as a fluorescent light bulb tube, said attachment means comprising a leg extending in the opposite direction from said hooked end in parallel, closely spaced relation to an elongated portion of said hanger device and cooperating therewith to define a linear slot sized to snugly receive one end wall ofa tubular mounting pole. 

1. A hanger device for suspending advertising displays from an overhead support comprising: an elongated hanger body having suspension means at one end thereof for holding said hanger device on an overhead support member; a hooked end at the opposite end of said hanger body, said hooked end being deformable and flexible so that it will collapse inwardly to permit it to be forced into one end of a smaller diameter, tubular mounting pole, the outward, flexing action of said hooked end against the inside of said mounting pole serving to hold said hanger device on said pole while said pole is used to lift said hanger device into place on said overhead support member; attachment means separate from said hooked end for removably securing said hanger device to a mounting pole when said hooked end is employed to suspend said hanger device from an overhead cross member such as a fluorescent light bulb tube, said attachment means comprising a leg extending in the opposite direction from said hooked end in parallel, closely spaced relation to an elongated portion of said hanger device and cooperating therewith to define a linear slot sized to snugly receive one end wall of a tubular mounting pole. 